Department for Transport

Aviation: Firearms

Lord Hunt of Chesterton: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what measures they are taking to ensure that airline passengers arriving at or departing from UK airports are not allowed to carry guns or ammunition either in the passenger cabin or in checked hold baggage; and whether they will provide warnings to airline passengers travelling to or from those states in the US where the carrying of guns and ammunition in passenger planes is now permitted.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Under existing (international) firearm and safety regulations, airlines may carry unloaded guns and a limited amount of ammunition in hold baggage where persons are holding these lawfully. In the UK, there are strict controls on how such items are notified to the air carrier, screened and placed in an aircraft hold leaving the UK and on collecting such items on entry to the UK. Passengers are prohibited from carrying firearms and ammunition in the cabin of an aircraft; and passengers and their cabin baggage are screened for such items prior to departure. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office US travel advice was updated on 7 January in light of the Fort Lauderdale incident to advise travellers to follow local procedures. We keep our aviation security measures under constant review.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Syria: Peace Negotiations

The Marquess of Lothian: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they took in bringing about the current ceasefire in Syria.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: ​The ceasefire which came into effect at midnight on 29 December was brokered by Russia, Turkey and Iran. We have repeatedly called for a full nationwide cessation of hostilities; we urge all parties to ensure that it is implemented fully. We are particularly concerned about ongoing violations by the regime and its backers.

Syria: Peace Negotiations

The Marquess of Lothian: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what contact they have had with the Assad regime immediately before or after the recent ceasefire in Syria.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: We have had no contact with the Asad regime about the ceasefire. Since the withdrawal of our staff from the British Embassy in Damascus and the closure of the Syrian Embassy in 2012, our dealings with the Syrian regime have been minimal and only in relation to essential consular or administration issues. We believe the Asad regime has lost all legitimacy due the atrocities it has perpetrated against the Syrian people.

North Korea: Guided Weapons

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of North Korea’s ability to launch an intercontinental ballistic missile; and when, at what level, and in what terms, they have outlined the consequences of such a development.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: In request of any assessments made on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea's ability to launch an intercontinental ballistic missile, it is the long-standing policy of the Government not to comment on matters relating to intelligence or national security.

European Defence Agency

Lord Stoddart of Swindon: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether, and if so why, the UK is increasing its contributions to the European Defence Agency, and whether any part of the Agency's funds will be used to finance plans to increase the EU's defence capability which were agreed by a group of countries in November 2016.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: The European Defence Agency (EDA) has had a flat budget since 2008.However, in recognition of progress made by the EDA in response to demands for reform and improved performance, an inflation-only increase was agreed for 2017. This will be used by the Agency to assist the development of Member States' defence capabilities.

Cabinet Office

Devolution: England

Lord Stoddart of Swindon: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the statement by Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth concerning the Neighbourhood Planning Bill: English Votes for English Laws (HLWS329), what steps they have taken to examine the case for an English Parliament and publish a green paper on the subject.

Lord Young of Cookham: We will not be examining the case for an English Parliament. The Government believes in a strong United Kingdom Parliament for a strong United Kingdom.

Propaganda: Internet

Lord Rennard: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the potential influence of fake news disseminated via the internet on voting in the UK; and whether they are taking steps to limit that influence.

Lord Young of Cookham: The Government have not made an assessment of the potential influence of fake news on voting in the UK. Department for Culture, Media and Sport are currently considering the implications of the dissemination of fake news on social media sites more broadly.

Department for Education

Teachers: Resignations

Lord Maginnis of Drumglass: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Nick Gibb MP on 20 October 2016 (HC47083), what proportion of the state school teachers who have left the profession within five years of starting in 2010 were (1) professionally trained, and (2) 1-year post-graduate PGCE trained; and what proportion of those come from (a) the primary sector; and (b) the post-primary sector.

Lord Nash: The statistics provided in the Written Answer from the Minister of State for School Standards on 20 October 2016 (HC47083) show that around 90% of qualified teachers are employed in a state-funded school in the year after qualification (and this has been the case since 1996). Of the qualified teachers who started teaching in 2010, 70% were still teaching in a state-funded school five years later. These teacher retention statistics only cover qualified teachers, that is teachers who have successfully completed an accredited programme of training or assessment and have been awarded Qualified Teacher Status (QTS). Statistics on teacher retention by length of time in post are not available by school phase nor by the route through which the teacher trained. The published teacher retention statistics are in Tables 7 and 8 of the ‘School Workforce in England: November 2015’ statistical release.

Schools: Playing Fields

Lord Ouseley: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the connection between the selling off of school playing fields, the decline in organised team sports in areas where facilities are lost and reported concerns about the health and well being of children and young people.

Lord Nash: The Government wants all children to be healthy and active. The playing fields that are disposed of each year continue to represent only a very small proportion of the total playing field land across the country. In many cases these are in respect of schools that have closed. In all cases consent has only been granted where schools have demonstrated there is no impact on their sports curriculum, and where the proceeds of sale are reinvested in sports or education facilities. No operating school has disposed of its entire playing field.Since 2013 we have invested £600 million to improve PE and school sport in primary schools through the primary PE and sport premium. But we know we can still improve, which is why revenue from the soft drinks industry levy will be used to double the primary PE and sport premium to £320 million a year from September 2017. This will allow schools to further improve the breadth and quality of the PE and sport they offer.

Ministry of Defence

Army

Earl Attlee: To ask Her Majesty’s Government when the British army last executed a Divisional Movement Order.

Earl Howe: The last time the British Army deployed a Division was for TELIC 1, for operations in Iraq in 2003.

Wildcat Helicopters

Lord Touhig: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the £271 million Wildcat Helicopter support deal with Leonardo Helicopters, announced on 9 January, is the same agreement that was announced in 2012.

Earl Howe: In 2012, the Wildcat contract only agreed a price for the initial five years. The announcement of 9 January confirms a continuing need for Leonardo's support and provides confidence for the company and its workforce for the coming five years. This Government is committed to supporting the capabilities that are provided by Leonardo Helicopters in Yeovil.

Wildcat Helicopters

Lord Touhig: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the £271 million Wildcat Helicopter support deal which sustains 500 jobs will include the highly skilled workforce of GKN.

Earl Howe: The support deal will sustain approximately 500 industry jobs, mainly in the south west of England. The prime contract is with Leonardo Helicopters and it is for them to determine whether sub-contracts are necessary to discharge their contractual commitments. The Ministry of Defence does not have any direct contracts with GKN.

Royal Ulster Rifles Museum

Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they are planning to make any redundancies at the Royal Ulster Rifles Museum in Belfast; if so, why; and whether any new staff are being recruited.

Earl Howe: The Royal Ulster Rifles Museum receives Government funding through a grant-in-aid arrangement. The museum is responsible for the recruitment and retention of its employees, who are appointed directly by the Museum, rather than as Crown Servants.

Army: Recruitment

Lord Pearson of Rannoch: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what were the (1) BAME, and (2) female, recruiting targets for the British Army for each of the last six years for which figures are available; and what sanctions apply to regiments which do not meet those targets.

Earl Howe: The Black Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) and female recruiting targets for the Department were set in 2015. The targets are an inflow of 10 per cent BAME and 15 per cent female by 2020 and apply to all three Services. The targets apply to the Service as a whole and not to individual Regiments.

Capita

Lord Touhig: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how long the contract with Capita for recruitment to the Armed Forces is expected to operate; and how often the contract is reviewed.

Earl Howe: The Army is delivering its recruiting operations with Capita through the Recruiting Partnering Project (RPP), a ten-year contract that is due to end in March 2022.A robust review framework is in place for RPP whereby the Army and Capita review factors such as performance, continuous improvement and value for money on a monthly, quarterly and annual basis.

Home Office

Ivory: Sales

Baroness Jones of Whitchurch: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many successful prosecutions have been made in respect of the sale of ivory in the UK under the Control of Trade in Endangered Species (Enforcement) Regulations 1997.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: I am sorry but the Home Office does not hold this information.

Prevent Oversight Board

Lord Carlile of Berriew: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the future role to be played by the Prevent Oversight Board.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: The Prevent Oversight Board provides scrutiny and independent oversight to the Prevent Programme. It is chaired by the Home Secretary, and membership includes Secretaries of State responsible for the relevant sectors within which Prevent operates including Education, Health, Local Communities and Justice. The Prevent Oversight Board also includes a number of independent members.Following consideration of the evolving threat and the growing focus on Prevent, the Home Secretary’s decision in September last year to chair the Prevent Oversight Board recognises its essential and ongoing role in driving delivery and scrutinising the Prevent programme to ensure it continues to effectively safeguard people vulnerable to radicalisation.

Asylum: Syria

Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many unaccompanied young asylum seekers from Syria, aged (1) 1 to 8, (2) 9 to 12, and (3) 13 to 18, have been accepted into the UK since the September 2015 commitment was made.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: The Home Office publishes the number of initial decisions on asylum applications from Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children, each quarter in table as_09_q of the Immigration Statistics release.To include these data would exceed the word limit for a PQ response, but the latest figures are available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/546760/asylum3-q2-2016-tabs.ods and are also attached to this answer. 



Table for answer
(Excel SpreadSheet, 36.5 KB)

Department for Exiting the European Union

Brexit

Viscount Waverley: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Bridges of Headley on 21 December 2016 (HL4050), what are the 50 sectors on which they are undertaking an analysis.

Lord Bridges of Headley: Our overall analysis covers the entirety of the UK economy, and we are looking at over 50 sectors within the areas of goods; services; financial services; network industries; and agriculture and fisheries as well as cross-cutting regulations.Our analysis and the sectoral breakdown, however, continues to evolve as we engage with stakeholders and experts. This process will allow us to gain even more insight.We will disclose the sectors we are analysing in due course.

Department for International Trade

Overseas Trade: Israeli Settlements

Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, following UN resolution 2334 (2016) concerning the illegality of Israeli settlements in the Palestinian Occupied Territories, what action they will take in respect of trade between those settlements and the UK; and whether they intend to impose penalties on UK individuals, firms and companies trading in those settlements.

Lord Price: The UK and Israel have a strong and important trading relationship and we are firmly opposed to boycotts or sanctions. But we do not recognise the Occupied Palestinian Territories, including the settlements, as part of Israel and indeed the settlements are not covered by the current EU-Israel Association Agreement which governs our trade with Israel.A just and lasting resolution that ends the occupation and delivers peace for both Israelis and Palestinians is long overdue. The UK remains focused on achieving a two-state solution and we continue to believe that the best way to achieve this is through negotiations between the parties.